Ashley has come on leaps and bounds these last few weeks in my opinion and if he keeps going at this rate, it shouldn't be long until we see those 10s appearing !!

However on this forum it seems quite quiet around Ashley, people like him but don't LOVE him, he seems like he's being forgotten a bit even though in my eyes he is the best male dancer (slightly ahead of Patrick)

I was just wandering whether you think Ashley & Ola can win the show or at least get to the final....? What are your predictions and opinions n Ashley??

I think a lot of forumites are neutral to not disliking Ashley here, but I suspect people are put off by Ola's lacklustre choreography for Ashley's numbers thus far...

He's quickly become my favourite, he's improved dramatically in the last 2 weeks.

Im an Ashley fan and want him to win. CAN he and Ola win? Not sure yet but i really think he is a cert for the final

I think he could, too much emphasis on the girls since the beginning, Go Ashley !!

Lovely lad and I do like Ola but I can't see it happen. However, he will deffo get to the semi final at least.

No, I don't think he is remotely in the running to win. Apart from anything else, his lack of training time will totally expose him when they have to do two dances or more per week.

I think Ola's unimaginative choreography will let him down along with his lack of training time.
Shame as I think he could be very good.

This and this. He can't learn more than one dance with his work schedule, I fear.

I wish he'd work on his feet, better shoes for starters!

Who's to say? Ola won it with Chris Hollings and he wasn't the best dancer that year, either. So she could do it again!

ladyinred,hear what you say, however I really don't think she can do it with Ashley. Some would say, she got lucky the year she won it with Chris.. maybe the stars alligned or something,,but can't see it happening for them this year.

On the one hand the major argument against them seems to be him being on course for a supposedly inevitable crash that isn't necessarily going to happen. One the other hand the major argument for him is that he's going to win just cause he's a fit bloke innit, so I don't think either side is particularly compelling.

Personally I don't see it - he doesn't seem the sort the audience takes to strongly enough to win. He's too loud, and too childish. Tom was as well, but he was wedded to a style of dancing the audience of this show loves, and handily fell backwards into being the "underdog". Other than that, I think the audience prefer a "man's man" or "strong but silent" type for its hunks. If Ben could dance at all, he'd be it.

I think and really hope that they can get to the finals. They've been improving each week and haven't took a step back. I've loved or really liked all of their dances too. I'm not sure he can win it though. I can see about 4 or 5 couples winning for different reasons, including them. It's really tough to call this year. But yeah I can definitely see him making the semi-final and hopefully the final.

I love Ashley and hope he'll win but the only way he will is if his work schedule relents enough for him to learn two dances and beyond towards the final stages.

Having said that they could sacrifice one routine being lacklustre for the other being immensely stunning. That has been done in the past and some contestants did go on to win - most made the final.

As long as he doesn't have the same burnout as Scott Maslen I think he'll be fine in the semis but it'll be heartbreaking by that time who loses their place.

I do think that being the top male (with Patrick) will help him, as its a largely female audience... if he's the last guy standing which i think he will be, i think he could really far as the final may be him and 3 other girls, which straight away gives him an advantage!

His downfall is though that the judges seem to really like Patrick and for me seems to get marks rather than earn them. Don't get me wrong I think Patrick is fabulous and his Samba was amazing but every year there's one contestant who has to earn their marks and this year it's Ashley.

If either of the two dances from either guy in the semis are sub-par it'll give the judges every excuse to score Ashley too low down whereas with Patrick they'll still say it's fabulous (well Darcey will) and put Ashley in danger on the leaderboard and then that also puts him in danger coming to the public vote whereas I do think Patrick does have quite a sizable fanbase - I mean I remember how fab he was doing Riverdance with Lisa Maxwell for Sport Relief (or Comic Relief - I can't remember which now)

He's hardly mentioned on here during or after the show.

I think he needs a really wow moment like Susanna (well Kevin) gave last night and I don't think Ola can deliver that. If he does get that then there's a chance - tbh, if you take Natalie out the equation, and Mark & Fiona, there is a much muchness about the middle of the packers so if he got lucky with the right song, choreography and wardrobe, he could do something but with him not being that well known I just don't know if he has enough to win.

No.

Sure you can! Do a 20-pivot turns followed by ten random knee slides. Doesn't matter which dance, will surely get people talking...

I agree with this point. I remember the same sort of thing with Ali Bastian. Luckily for me I now watch Hollyoaks but it took me almost a year to figure out the difference between him and his ex co-star Andrew Moss who played a character called Rhys. I used to think Ashley's character was Rhys and not the actual character he portrays which is Darren.

But back to the point - yeah I do worry that he's not as high profile as others.

He has a great chance of winning I have bet on him at 8-1 not because he deserves to win but I suspect he will win.

Interesting opinion - as I fan I'm still in the hope stage but I'll gladly take him winning.

Why do you suspect he will win?

do you think he will be top male??

Not without Ola producing something magical. I think Patrick will be last guy standing although I have a sneaky feeling that Ben will give him a run for his money. I know Ben isn't popular on here, but I think it may be different in the wider audience.